Shock-insulated draft connection



Feb. l1, 1930. F.c.'McMANUs SHOCK INSULATED DRAFT CONNECTI-ON Filed Feb. 16, 1929 ,www

y MUM/ofc, z im@ M0/mmm Patented Feb. 11, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRANK C. MCMANUS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T NTERNATIONAL MOTOR COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,

A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE SHOCK-INSULATED DRAFT CONNECTION Application led February 16, 1929. Serial No. 340,542.

The present invention relates to draft connections between vehicles and embodies, more' specifically, an improved form of connection which is able to resist, successfully,

the destructive forces exerted thereon in practice.

in draft connections of the type employing a hook mounted upon a shaft which is movable axially within the frame of a trailer and cushioned by means of coiled springs, it

frequently happens, in turning a sharp corner, that the shaft carrying the hook is bent when the hookis extended to the greatest eX- tent. rlhis particularly occurs when the trailer strikes a curblor other obstruction in rounding a corner and the hook is pulled out by the draft forces. At such time the lateral stress exerted upon the shaft of the hool; re-

.sults in a bending thereof, thus preventing the hook to be drawn back to a normal posi-v tion. This results, in eifect, in a solid connection, since the springs mounting the hook can no longer function, and serious difficulty has frequentlyv arisen from this condition.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved form of -draft connection to resist the sudden changes in draft forces, the parts thereof being so constructed that the stresses set up by the conditions enumerated above will have no serious eifect upon the mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to provide a dra-ft connection in which a pintle F hook is mounted in a tivo-way laminated 30 spring in such manner that all stresses applied to the spring and hook will be yieldingly resisted, the result thereof being to prevent damage to the parts.

Further objects and advantages will be apparent as the invention is described more fully in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a plan View, partly broken away, showing a draft connection constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view in section, taken on line 2 2 of Figure l, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a view in section, taken on line other.

3 3 of Figure 2, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure i is a segmental view, similar to Figure l, and showing a modified form of the invention.

Referring to the above drawings, longitudinal FJl-shaped chassis frame members are shown at ay and a transverse frame member at Z). rlfhese members are riveted together at c in a well known manner, and top and bottom gussets d are provided to strengthen the construction. rihese gussets may be formed of a single piece of metal reversely bent to receive between their top and bottom portions the transverse channel The side frame members a are forwardly extended as at a and the gusset is adapted to fit within the flanges of the channel as clearly shown in Figure 2. In this manner, transverse rame member gusset cl andlongitudinal frame member o: are telescoped Within each The construction and manner of assembly is shown clearly in the sectional View in Figure 3.

Between the forwardly projecting inembers a', and within the gussets CZ, housing sections e are riveted. These ,housing sections have top and bottom plates e which are riveted to the transverse frame Z9 at e2. A vertical web e3 extending between the top and bottom plates e forms a recess within which a block of yielding non-metallic material f is received. A cooperating housing section g, provided with a vertical web g to form a recess to receive a portion of the block of yielding non-metallic material f, cooperates with the housing section e to provide a closure therefor and bolts L `secure the elements together. The vertical webs e3 and g terminate on the inner side to provide an aperture Awithin which the ends of a two-way leaf spring z' are received.

The block of yielding non-metallic material f is of unsymmetrical form, a greater portion thereof being disposed within the cap g, as at f', than is disposed within the recess formed by the web e3. At the mid-sec tion of the spring z', a pintle hook j is secured,

ybolts j being secured in plate j2 to serve` advditionally to clamp the sections of the spring together.

Vhen a force other than an axial one is applied to the hook, the lateral stresses set up therein are absorbed within the spring and blocks of yielding non-metallic material f. This may be accompanied by a degree of distortion of the leaves of the spring but no possibility exists for any jamming or damaging of the elements to impair the yielding nature of the connection. Providing a greater amount of yielding non-metallic material f upon tie forward side of the leaf spring affords a greater capacity to receive draft stresses.

In Figure 4, a modified design is shown wherein the bolts y" are extended rearwardly of plate jg, and through the transverse frame member an additional plate is provided, and blocks of yielding non-metallic material j* are disposed on either side of the frame member ZJ in order that a supplementary cushioning action may be provided for the spring 2..

lVhile the invention has been described with reference to the specific construction shown in the accompanying drawings, it is not to be limited, save as defined in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. A draft connection comprising a cross member to which a draft force is applied, housings carried by the member, blocks of yielding non-metallic material in the housings, a spring secured at its ends in the blocks, blocks ofA yielding non-metallic material mounted on the cross frame member centrally thereof, means to apply draft forces to the spring, and means to secure the last named means to the spring and cross frame member through the last named yielding non-metallic blocks, whereby the draft forces will be cushioned by the blocks and spring.

2. A draft connection comprising a cross member to which a. draft force is applied, housings carried by the member, blocks of yielding non-metallic material in the housings, a spring secured at its ends in the blocks, cushioning means between the spring and cross frame member centrally thereof, and means to apply draft forces to the spring.

3. A draft connection comprising a trailer having longitudinal frame members and a front cross frame member, extensions on the longitudinal members, top and bottom gusset plates mounted on the extensions and cross frame member at the corners formed thereby, housings mounted in the corners and between the gusset plates, caps for the housings, bolts extending through the caps, housings, and cross frame member to secure the housings to said cross frame member, blocks of yielding non-metallic material in the housings, a spring secured at its ends in the blocks, and means to apply draft forces to the spring.

4. A draft connection comprising a trailer having longitudinal frame members and a front cross frame member, extensions on the longitudinal members, top and bottom gusset plates mounted on the extensions and cross frame member at the corners formed thereby, housings mounted in the corners and between the gusset plates, blocks of yielding non-metallic material in the housings, a spring secured at its ends in the blocks, and means to apply draft forces to the spring.

5. A draft connection comprising a trailer having longitudinal frame members and a front cross frame member, longitudinal extensions on the longitudinal members, opposed housings mounted on the extensions and cross frame member, blocks of yielding non-metallic material in the housings, a spring secured at its ends in the blocks, and means to apply draft forces to the spring.

6. A draft connection comprising a member to which a draft force is applied, longitudinally extending opposed housings carried by the member, blocks of yielding nonmetallic material in the housings, a single double acting spring secured at its ends in the blocks, and means to apply draft forces to the spring.

This specification signed this 8th day of February A. D. 1929.

FRANK C. MGMANUS. 

